Wednesday, April 7, 2010

my study in red

I have never in my life decorated with red...until now. My study is...well, to put it bluntly...a study in red....yes, bad pun intended, sorry. I've convened a meeting of anything and everything that I own that is red...and put them in my working space where they talk the same language. I've even painted some things to match so they don't feel left out. Here's a peek...you don't get the whole room because it's far too messy right now. I'm too occupied at the moment with all sorts of work busy-ness to clean it up...papers all over the floor, mugs of tea on the desk, even a tape measure (not sure why that's there...to measure my staying power perhaps?)
The red cabinet used to live in the guest room when I had the luxury of one of those...no more I'm afraid, so now it holds the printer paper and anything else I don't have a place for...hmmm, maybe that's where I put the battery charger The head in the foreground belongs to an antique rocking horse...falling apart at the seams as all well loved rocking horses should be. The painting was bought from a dodgy art 'student' in Beijing...because I liked it and it reminded me of the doors of the Forbidden Palace...

The 'stuff I need to deal with' reminder makes me laugh like a drain...it's a nice principle...but do I do it very often? Ah, nah! The lava lamp was a gift and I don't care what anyone says...I still think they're cool...even if they're not really. The pen holder is one of the vampire slayer's old cat food tins painted with gloss enamel...that cat's got to be good for something! The eskimo sculpture was a gift from Canadian friends we lived with in England a very long time ago...thanks Mary and Mark. Apart from lovely memories, it reminds me that while it gets cold in Canberra, it doesn't get that cold!

The red thing started with me changing my mind...a fairly frequent happening in that space between my ears...when I called my friend Chris who was on her way to Ikea from Canberra (a 3 hour trip) who had kindly offered to pick me up an item (or twenty-three).
"Chris, could you possibly change that white Lack shelf to a red one please? Are you sure Kerry? Yep, let's live a little dangerously" said I...and I'm glad I did. I quite like it...for the moment anyway. And besides, it matches my kitsch parrots! Just noticed my desk needs dusting...sigh.
Still much to do in this room where I spend such a lot of my time...like painting the walls white, getting rid of the very ugly terracotta coloured vinyl venetian blinds...whoever heard of that colour blind for crying out loud? I'm thinking maybe some nice roman blinds instead? But the main thing is that this room works for me...and I can sit at my desk and look out the study door across my living room to a view of my courtyard...and that's quite nice. It'll do me anyway. That pile of unread books is still in here though!!

all images by me - yep, need to take a photography course!

16 comments:

  1. Dear Kerry, I absolutely adore what we have been permitted to see of the Red Room [shades of Jane Eyre!]. Your tablescape [for that is what David Hicks would call it] is a masterpiece and, if I were you, I should not make any apology for anything, especially the lava lamp, as it all fits together so well. As for painting the empty cat food tin, well I think that a touch of brilliance and something I may well copy.

    However, I am less certain about the wisdom of painting a room pure white, unless your whole house is starkly modern and minimalist to an extreme and the whole overlooks the Mediterranean Sea. Otherwise, I feel that it could be a mistake!!

    I am intrigued to know why the Vampire Slayer always appears to have a bad press.

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  2. Thanks Edith..I will take on board the white issue but I really don't like the current blah colour and it has to go! As for the slayer...hmm, she bites and swipes, refuses to sleep in her very expensive pet basket and has the worst manners when it comes to being fed! Other than that I guess she's ok. You can adopt her if you like!

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  3. Love all the red. Red makes me happy! Love the painting - does look like the doors of the Forbidden Palace (very cool place). You accessorize with red - I paint the walls red. Have a red powder room with all black accessories/picture frames - goes great with the grey slate-like tiles. Our study has 2 red walls and 2 tan ones with black desks, books shelves and yes, Lack shelves (Not sure what we would do without IKEA)! The china flowers you gave me sits on the shelf near my desk. Hard to believe that it was 20 years ago.

    I couldn't live with white walls - maybe because we are usually surrounded by snow for most of the winter! But to each their own - if it makes you happy, go for it - just find a warm/vanilly white to show off your red treasures. Love the cabinet!

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  4. Dear Kerry,
    Your study looks fabulous.Red is such a happy colour, and a passionate one. I think that it's the perfect choice.
    I'm afraid that I'm not very witty at the moment, as I'm still recovering from that little bugger of an oyster !!
    Hopefully, normal sevice will be resumed as soon as possible !! XXXX

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  5. I love red Kerry and your study looks fab! At the moment I only have hints in my bedroom and 'library' (it's really just a little family room though too small to be an actual family room so I put bookcases in there and glorified it). I'm not brave enough to get full-on with red thanks to my fickle nature - it's just too darn hard to paint over every five minutes!
    Kristine
    xxx

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  6. I love all the red things around your study - good decision on switching the shelves to red instead of white, as they are perfect. I'm also not too sure about white walls with all that red - it smacks of candy cane. Have you considered a gray or even if you were really daring a pale lilac colour (although I'm not sure about that one).

    I also have several books that I have been meaning to read but haven't because of blogging. It is an occupational hazard, isn't it?

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  7. I love the red and I admire your ability to go through with it. I once tried to paint a room red and it was a disaster! I just picked the wrong shade and it looked cheap. You have managed to pull it off with class, and I love that you rock the lava lamp!

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  8. Looking good! Buffy must love the red as well :)
    Love the framed "Stuff To Deal With" You should see my amazing pile of that type of stuff!

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  9. By the way do you know that on my bedside table there is a worn out copy of Jack Canfield's How to get from where you Are to where you want to BE
    :)))

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  10. Oh I love the red on your study Kerry!! I love that cabinet:) Your whole study is gorgeous my dear!! Wishing you a wonderful week ~ Tina x

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  11. Gosh you are funny! I really like all the red - it looks great and like in a fast food chain maybe it will make you super quick at getting through your study room jobs?
    I'd love to see more of the horse please :)

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  12. A powerful colour beautifully & stylishly used Kerry, bravo to you.
    Millie ^_^

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  13. So much lovely 'hot' red over here, sweet Kerry. Sending many sunbeams your way!! Have a happy day. xoxoxo

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  14. Love the glimpse into your little red study! Thanks for dropping by the manor. Hope to see you again soon. xx

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  15. I love your red study - especially the area around your computer desk and your pin up board. All looks fabulous!! I have 'Lunch In Paris' on my list of books to get out from the library when I'm there next :)

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  16. omg. how on earth did i miss this. can you please send me a bigger pic so i can office space of the day you....I LOOOOOOVE IT WOMAN! xoxoox

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I love it when you comment...I feel excited, chuffed and tranquil all at the same time! Thank you.

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